Dame Judi Dench is best known for her theatre work, and is currently acting where she best belongs, in the heart of the West End, in The Royal Family at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. It was, appropriately, at the Theatre Royal that she was presented with her BAFTA (British Academy Film and Television Awards) Fellowship, in front of an audience that included Dame Maggie Smith and Pierce Brosnan - the 007 to her 'M' (the head of the Secret Service) in the last few James Bond movies.

The BAFTA fellowship reflects the breadth of her acting achievement, as she is a well-known television and film star as well. Her extraordinary screen presence is due to the sheer strength of her personality, and it earned her an Oscar for her role as Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love, even though she was only on screen for some ten minutes.